NUTRITIONAL COUNSELING OFFERED TO CHILDREN AND ADOLESCENTS WITH DISABILITIES

Objective: To evaluate the nutritional counseling offered to children and adolescents with disabilities in the municipality of Santa Cruz, RN, Brazil. Methods: Observational, crosssectional, population-based study, developed from May to December 2013, with 102 children and adolescents attending a Children's Rehabilitation Center. We conducted socioeconomic, demographic, health and lifestyle assessments, and evaluated the received nutritional assistance (whether they had received nutritional counseling from any health professional in relation to food and nutrition, how often it occurred and which professional conducted such counseling). Results: Only 37% (n=37) of parents had received some nutritional guidance. Regarding the frequency of counseling, only 11.8% (n=4) of the youngsters received it 7 or more times/year; 23.5% (n=8) received it 2 to 6 times/year; and most (64.7 %, n=22) received it 1 time/year or less. The length of the nutritional counseling was short: the majority (64.7%, n=22) received only one guidance session throughout the whole period attending the institution, and less than 15% (n=5) received counseling for more than six consecutive months. For the majority (73.5%, n=25), the amount of time receiving nutritional guidance has not reached half of the monitoring period. Nutritional counseling was carried out mainly by nutritionists (89.2%, n=33). Conclusion: There was a low frequency of nutritional counseling directed specifically to the disabilities presented by the participants. When such activity was conducted, it occurred irregularly during the participant´s follow-up, only during a short period of time, and lacking connection with the monitoring by the multidisciplinary team. Objetivo: Avaliar o aconselhamento nutricional oferecido a crianças e adolescentes com deficiência no município de Santa Cruz-RN, Brasil. Métodos: Estudo observacional, transversal, de base populacional, desenvolvido de maio a dezembro de 2013, com 102 crianças e adolescentes atendidos em um Centro de Reabilitação Infantil. Procedeuse avaliação socioeconômica, demográfica, de saúde e de estilo de vida, assim como da assistência nutricional recebida (se já haviam recebido orientação nutricional de algum profissional da saúde em relação à alimentação e nutrição, com que frequência ocorria e qual o profissional a havia realizado). Resultados: Somente 37% (n=37) dos responsáveis já haviam recebido alguma orientação nutricional. Com relação à frequência do aconselhame